Treadle-shifting mechanism for piano-players and the like.



G. SANTOIEMMA.

Patented Dec. 24, 1912.

33% l @Houauga TBEADLE SHIFTING MECHANISM FOB PIANO PLAYERS AND THE LIKE.

. APPLICATION FILED FEB- 21, 1912. 1 ,048, 35 1 GIOVANNI SANTOIEMMA, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

TREADLE -SHIFTING MECHANISM FOR PIANO-PLAYERg AND THE LIKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 2d, 1912.

7 Application filed February 21, 1912. Seiiai No. $83391.

i To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GIOVANNI SANTOI- EMMA, a subject of the King of Italy, residing at New York city, in the borough of Manhattan and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Treadle-Shifting Mechanism for Piano-Players and the Like, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to a mechanism for moving the treadles or pedals used more particularly in connection with player "pianos and the like, into operative or inoperative position; and has for one of its objects the provision of novel means for expeditiously moving such pedals into and out of an opening disposed in the lower front board of, for example, a player piano, with a minimum of exertion on'the part of'the operator.

.Another object of the herein described mechanism is to connect the panel or cover of such an opening directly with said treadles in such manner that the latter may we moved into their inoperative position substantially while the said panel or door is bejug closed, and vice versa.

till another object of the invention to provide a novel means for actuating this panel.

These and other objects of my invention will be hereinafter referred to and the novel elements and combinations of elements whereby said objects may be attained will be more particularly set forth in the claims appended hereto.

I am aware that various modifications and changes may be made in the herein described structure, which are within the purview, of my invention, and hence do not desire to be limited other than by the scope of the said claims. v

Referring to the drawings which form a part hereof and in which like reference characters designate like parts throughout the several views: Figure 1 is a side GlGVtlllml of a piano with a portion of the casing of the same broken away to show the trcadlc and panel shifting mechanism. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the mechanismproper. Fig. 3 is a section of the same taken on the line III-4H of Fig. 2, the treadles'being disposgl in their inoperative position. Fig.-

t is a detail of construction. Fig. 5 is 'a bottom plan of the iinanually operated part.

The treadles 1 may be of any suitable construction, being preferably hinged by means of suitable brackets 2 to a frame, broadly designated 3. This frame is preferably substantially U-shaped as indicated in Fig. 2, and in the form of device herein more particularly described consists of a tubular section 4t and two somewhat Z-shaped members 5 which are adapted for engagement with the tube 4, in the manner shown in Fig. 4. This construction facilitates the taking apart of the structure and the elements 4 and 5 may be held securely together by any suitable means, such for example, as the set screws 6. Each member 5 is pivotally connected as at '7 to a suitable bracket 8 affixed to the piano frame 9; as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The Ushaped frame 3 is spaced from the floor in any suitable inanner, when in its outermostposition, as by means of stands 10. I prefer to connect these stands rigidly together by means of a cross-bar 11, and this cross-bar is in en"- gagement with a bent operating lever or part. 12 which is also pivo-tally connected at its inner extremity to a small bracket 13 fastened to the frame member 9, preferably substantially midway between the bracket 8. The part 12 has pivotally connected thereto a small, preferably somewhat arcuate link 14, the latter being connected to the lever 12 at 15, and the other extremity thereof being connected to a bar or link 16, which extends upwardly therefrom toward, and is pivotally connected to the offset ex; tremity of a, bracket 17, which is secured to the inner or under side of a panel or door 18, the latter serving to close the aperture in the center of the lower front board 19 of the piano, through which the treadlcs emerge when being moved into their operative position.

The panel 18 may be pivotally connected by pins or trunnions 20, one of which disposed upon either side thereof, to suitable bearings or brackets 21 upon the rear side of the board '19. The upper .end or edge 22 of the panel is preferably made arcuate, as shown in Figs 1 and 3, so that when the panel is in its closed position the aperture within which it swings may be completely closed at the top thereof, the curyature/ f responding operative parts of the player mechanism, but since such elements form no part of the present invention they will not be herein. further referred to. The link 16 and bracket 17 are connected by means or a pin 27, which preferablyhas a driving fit with, or is otherwise firmly secured to, said bracket 17 the extremity of which may be bifurcated for the reception of the end of the link 16. This pin may beof any suitable description, and is preferably prbvided with a head 28 at either-extremity thereof,

which may be notched for the receptionof the bent end 29 of a spring 30. Spring 30 preferably comprises a U-shaped section31 and one or more turns or coils upon either side of such section, the coils preferably being wound .in opposite directions. "ence the spring30normally operates to press the link 16 away." trom the bracket 17; or in other words, it tends to throw the lower extremity of tlie said link 16 inwardly toward the piano; no matter where the panel 18 may be disposed. The reason for this construction will be hereinafter explained. Upon one side of the panel 18 is a second bracket 32 of somewhat similar shape to the bracket 17; but in place of having a link like that designated 16 attached thereto, the bracket 32 terminates in an offset part 33 from which project laterally two pins respectivelydesignated 34 and 35; pin 34 being preferably somewhat shorter than pin 35. Below the bracket 33 and immediately to one side of the aperture which door 18 is designed to cover is a bracket 36, which. is preferably affixed to the rear wall of the board 19. This bracket has been partly broken away in Fig. 1, so that only the outer extremity thereof is therein shown, owing to the fact that the section" is taken beyond the said bracket. Bracket 36 carries a roller 37, pivotally mounted thereiin'around which passes a flexible connecting element 38, the latter preferably being a round leather belt, or the like. I do not desire, however, to be limited to any particular material in so far as this element is concerned; nor to any particular construction thereof. One extremity of the flexible element is secured to pin 34 as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, and the element downwardly from this pin around the roller or idler 37 above referred to, and

'respect to" the under side of the pro t;

be, with respect [t0 the lever 12."

counterclockwise. as viewed from be,

noaaeei thence upwardly toward and around one of a pair of rollers or idlers 39, which latter are pivotally mounted in bracket 10 secured upon the rear portion or the wall 19 preferably directly above bracket The flexible element then passes forwardly beneath :the keyboard of the piano, if that be the instrument to which the mechanism in question has been applied, and thence around a grooved wheel or pulley 411 which is secured to the under side of the projecting portion of the instrument: The pulley 4:1 is of course pil'otally mounted and is adaptedto' be oscillated in one direction or the other by means of a handle 42, or the like. The flexible element after passing around this pulleypasses over the second of the pulleys 39'hnd thence downwardly toward and into engage} ment withthe pin 35. By reason of this exceedingly simple arrangement the door 18 may lie-swung open and the treadles' and their support may be swung outwardly and downwardly into operative position or ice} versa, with a minimum effort on the part of the operator, by merely swinging the handle 12 in the proper direction. T

The operation of the mechanism is as; ,tol lows: Assuming that the treadles are op eratively disposed as shown in Fig. 1 a d that thepanel 18 is inysubs'tantially its u most position. If new it be desir sli 'htl Vary the position. of the, nan

E9 q 1 L front of the instrument, it is merelyne sary to shift the position of the plate it one direction or the other, as the case may as shown in Fig. 1, for example, the plate be shifted downwardly, while of course at the same'time taking the pressure away therefrom by lifting the panel 18, the to; gle-like arrangement formed bv the p jecting arm ofthe bracket 17 and the 16 will be somewhat straightened out thence the panel will be obliged to in a somewhat more elevated position,

the stands 10 are in engage floor. Assuming now that position of the panel has been 7 a height to comfortably clear 1 5- of the operator when in position be'for instrument; when the handle portion of the flexible element wb tends downwardly toward the pir be placed on ilfl'lSlOfl and will said pin upwardly in the diroctio bracket 40.

at LDC. same time the c of the flexible element is slat-hon hence is drawn freely around the and upwardly by the pin Th a downward movement of thevdoor a pivotal axis. The upward mm oil sct arm of the bracket 1? i 16 upwardlyand places the sprin increased stress. The tension in the link 16 is transmitted to the short link 14 and pulls the latter firmly up against the stop 28. As the latter is mounted upon the lever 12 which is pivoted to saidbracket 13, the

said lever is swung upwardly and inwardly around its pivotal axis, and acts as a lever of the th1rd-elass;the fulcrum being at 18, the weight to be lifted being appliedthe opening in the board 19 back into the with the stop 23 at all times,

' the treadles are piano casing. The disposition of the various pivotal points is such that the treadlesare substantially housed before the panel 18 has been swung downwardly to such point as to interfere with their passage into the piano casing; while the final downward and closing movemeiit of the panel brings the pivot 15 behind link 16 which results in swinging the link 14 forward and upward, raising it from its seat against the stop 23. This short link therefore performs a plurality of important functions in that it not only cooperates with the adjustable stop 23 to determine the upward throw of the door 18, but it further facilitates the proper and complete closing of the door 18; acting as a yielding connection between the lever 12 and link 16. In Fig. 3 I have illustrated in dotted lines the relative positions of the treadle support and stands 10, and the panel 18, when the door has been closed somewhat more than half way. The function of the spring 30, it may be here stated, is to insure the proper positioning of the short link or'yielding connection 14 when the parts are being swung into and out of the piano eas ing; since were it not for this spring there would be a tendency, especially when the apparatus was used in a jerky manner, to reverse the position of the short link 13 throwing it forwardly out of engagement which would necessitate the application of the hand of the operator to one of the links before the device could be properly actuated. Theprovision of the, spring 30, however, obviates this difliculty and insures the proper relative disposition of the several parts at all times.-

lVhen it is desired. to open the panel 18 and lower the treadles the handle 42 is moved in a reverse direction to that in which it was previously moved, thus effecting a downward ,pull upon the pin 34 through the instrumentalityof the flexible element 38 and thereby operating the parts 16 and 17 toggle fashion.

Owing to the weight of the treadles and connected parts the links 16 will, whenever being lifted into or out of including means operative position, be'placed under tension. This construction is preferable since where parts are so placed under tension they may be made lighter in weight and smaller in cross-section than is the case where a relatively extended link or bar is normally placed under compression. In practice the flexible element 22 remains at nearly all times quite taut, and attention is especially directed to the simplicity of the construction employed in this part of the device.

I have shown a knob or handle 43 upon the panel 18 and it is obvious that the entire device maybe operated from this point. In other words, if the operator grasps the handle 43v so as to pull the door or panel open, for example, he not only actuates the panel, but'also throws the treaclles into their outermost position and if the flexible ele ment and its operating parts be operatively connected, the handle 42 will be swung around by this pull upon the knob 43. In other words, this mechanism has the parts thereof so inter-related that it may be operated from a plurality of points.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A treadle shifting mechanism for musical instruments, comprising a pivoted treadle support means whereby the same may be swung downwardly and outwardly from the lower portion of the instrument through a determined angle, a pivotally mounted panel and means whereby the same may be swung upwardly and outwardly from the lower portion of said instrument, and connections between said panel and treadle support for moving said parts substantially simultaneously, said connections for varying the angle through which said panel may swing.

2. A treadle shifting mechanism for musical instruments, comprising a treadle support means whereby the same may be moved outwardly from the lower portion of the instrument, a panel means whereby the same may be moved upwardly from a lower.-

attached to said panel, a revoluble element,

.around a portion at least of which said flexihis connection extends and means for dis- 7. placing sald' flexlble connection.

3. A treadle shifting mechanism for musical instruments comprising a treadle support means whereby the same may be moved outwardly from the lower portion, of the instrument, a panel the same may be moved upwardly from a lower portion of said instrument, andconand means whereby i nections between said panel and said treadle support whereby they maybe moved together, said-connections including a pivoted lever hinged to said treadle support, a link pivotally attached to said panel, and a second linkpivotallyattached to said lever' and to said first link, substantially as described;

4. A treadle shifting mechanism for musical instruments comprising a .t-readle support means wherebythe same may be moved outwardly from the lower portion of Z the instrument, a panel and means whereby the same may be moved upwardly from a lower portionof said instrument, and connections between said panel and said treadle support whereby they may be moved to- I gether, said connections including two connected links, means for pivotally connecting one of said links to sa d panel, lndlrect means for plvotally connecting the other of said links to said support, and means for' limiting the movement of one of said links with respect to the other. 7 r

Altreadle shifting mechanism for musical instruments comprising a t-readle support means whereby the same may be moved outwardly from the lower portion of the'instrument, a panel and means whereby the same may be moved upwardly from a lower portion of said instrument, and connections between said panel and said treadle support whereby they may be moved together, said connections including two connected links, means for pivotally connecting one ot said links to said panel, indirect means for pivotally connecting the other of said links to said support, and adjustable means for limiting-the movement of one of said links with respect to the other.

6. A treadle shifting mechanism for musical instruments comprising a treadle support means whereby the same may be moved.

outwardly from the lower portion of the instrument, a pivotally -mounted panel and means whereby the same may be swung upwardly and outwardly from a lower portion of said instrument, and connections between said panel and said treadle support, said connections including means for varying the upward swing of said panel for a determined movement of said treadle support.

7. In a treadle operated musical instru;

ment, the combination of treadles and a panel adapted to cover the same when said treadlesare 1n inoperative position, with a combined panel and treadle shifting mechan1sm,sa1d mechanism including a treadle support, linked connections between said treadle and panel, a handle and a flexible element operable thereby, said flexible element being attached to said panel.' 8. In a treadle operated musical instrument, the combination of pivotally mounted treadles, a pivoted panel adapted to cover the same when said t-readles are in inoperand connections between $31d ative position, treadles and said panel, with means includ ing a flexible inelastic element, for actuating the parts aforesaid. i

9. In a treadle operated musical instrument,- the'combination of treadles means whereby the same may move into and out of operative position, a movable panel adapted to cover the same when said treadles are in inoperative position, and connections between said treadles and said panel, with means for actuating the parts aforesaid, said means including an extended flexible connection and revoluble elements about which said flexible connection passes. it

10. In a treadle operated musical instrument, the combination of treadles means whereby the same may move into and outof operative position, a movable panel adapted .to cover the same when said 'treadles are in inoperative position, and connections. between said treadl'es and said panel, with means for actuating the parts aforesaid, said means including a handle, a flexible element operable thereby, a revoluble element around which said flexible element passes, both ends of the latter being attached to said. panel.

In witness whereof, I subscribe my signature, in the presence of two witnesses.

GIOVANNI SANTOIEMMA,

Witnesses:

WALDO M. CHAPIN, JAMES D. ANTONIO. 

